West Papua never ceases to surprise the world of Indonesian tourism, starting from the white sand beaches, diving spots with the most beautiful underwater views, majestic mountains, and virgin forests. Places that are not known to many people can be found after a deep exploration. One of the hidden gems of West Papua you must visit is Kalibiru.
Hidden amongst the forest in the Raja Ampat regency, Kalibiru is ready to be explored. As the name implies, the river has clear water that looks like crystal blue gemstone. It is a hidden gem because it is still relatively untouched by the tourist’s eyes. Its’ beautiful scenery is ready to take you to heaven on earth.
The Beauty of Kalibiru
Kalibiru is located in the province of West Papua, precisely in Kampung Warsambin, Raja Ampat. Raja Ampat, notoriously famous internationally for its underwater natural beauty, has many untouched tourist sites. The river is still very clean and trash-free.
Due to its hidden location amidst the Raja Ampat forest, a little extra effort should be made to reach the secluded heaven. Visitors will need an hour speedboat ride from Waisai, the capital city of Raja Ampat, then crossing the river and forest trekking for 30 minutes. This river is located adjacent to Mayalibit bay.
The river is transparent that objects at the bottom, such as large rocks, can be seen clearly. Local people call this river Warabiae, which means ‘clear blue river.’ Another name is Waiyal which comes from the words Wai which means water, and yal, which means ‘know what will happen tomorrow.’ Kalibiru has a depth of 2-5 meters with a fairly calm current. However, visitors are advised to remain careful with the current when swimming.
Local Beliefs of Kalibiru
According to local beliefs, Kalibiru was the bathing place for the King of Pulau Waigeo. The river is considered a sacred place by the Maya tribe, a local tribe of West Papua. According to Mayalibit legend, soldiers bathed in this river before going to war, because they believed it would make them stronger to defeat the enemy. Another folklore says that there is a white crocodile that lives in this river and will show up if anyone violates local laws.
Uniqueness of Kalibiru
The blue color in Kalibiru is due to the process of refraction of sunlight, not due to the presence of biota such as algae. In the upstream area, the water tends to be clearer and colorless.
The uniqueness of this river lies not only in its brilliant color but also in the temperature of the water. The river has a cold temperature of 10-20 degrees Celsius due to being hidden in dense trees and not exposed to direct sunlight, but rather exposed to refractive light from the trees. Uniquely, in the river branches, the water has two different temperatures. On the flow that gets sun exposure, the river water is noticeably warmer.
The Journey to Kalibiru
During trekking, visitors are spoiled by a view of the forest and a fairly difficult route. But all that is paid off with the impressive beauty of Kalibiru. The fatigue experienced during the trekking will vanish once you see the view of the river and the calm forest that surrounds it. It is very aesthetically pleasing and deserves to be introduced to the wider community.
A tour guide will guide you during the journey to Kalibiru. According to the tour guide, Kalibiru water is safe to drink because it comes from natural springs. The water also tastes like it just came out of the refrigerator because the temperature is low.
The location was discovered around 2016, and even though not many visitors have come yet to see Kalibiru, local and foreign tourists come visit this heavenly river on holidays and weekends.Interested in the journey to Kalibiru? Prepare your stamina because the journey is quite draining. And once you’re there, be sure to keep the river clean, avoid using cosmetic products that can contaminate the water, and clean yourself before entering the crystal water. Happy exploring!
